[Keninches]

Rent for sure and being close to Spanish Springs Square is the best value for your money, house wise. Lake Sumter Square is really nice, but the houses are more expensive and will probably still have a bond to pay off, which Spanish Springs area does not. Good luck.

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Originally Posted by RealtorKaren

Hi! I’m moving to TVs in January, near Spanish Springs area. I want to find a Pickleball group to play with. Where do you play? Thanks for any info you can give me. I love that area! Karen

There's pickleball at most or all the numerous rec centers around Spanish Springs town center. Pick up Rec News at any rec center or check it out online (link follows) to find open play. Just show up and you'll get rotated in.

Welcome to the 'hood!

Recreation & Parks Publication

[rmd2]

Originally Posted by LMBNY

Wow. Thanks so much, everyone! I'm renting a house for the month of July (ugh, I know), so this will be very helpful for my exploring!

I will definitely be looking at re-sales and love a fixer-upper challenge. Also, think I'd like to be within a mile to one of the squares.

After you rent for a while you will really know more about how you feel. You may find other things come in to play such as shopping, medical/dental, other recreational activities, etc.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus

LMB, I'm your man. I recently moved to Country Club Hills specifically for the walkability factor. I can walk to Spanish Springs town square, two regional rec centers, my pickleball and tennis courts, the country club with the Villages' best pool and hot tub, and a myriad of restaurants and stores. All kinds of medical facilities are a stone's throw, too, if you need them, as are many parks and a lake with a gazebo pier.

By that I mean all those places are less than a mile away! Take a look at a map with Spanish Springs in the center. I'd vote for anywhere around that area. We're all biased and think our own village is the best, but if you want walkability, that vicinity wins hands down.

Add to that a dog park and an area with outdoor exercise machines - and a partridge in a pear tree!

[LiverpoolWalrus]

And softball and archery fields, petanque, bocce and shuffleboard. Oh and I think there’s that thing called golf around here too. All in our concentrated bubble within the bubble.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by PensacolaBob

Bikes are allowed on these walking trails!

I knew that, not sure why I said bikes, still less conflict then north.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by michtofla

Just stay away from anything south of 44. After your walk you will hear the dynamite blasting at the nearby stone quarry, the loud speaker announcements at the Coleman Prison, the deafening noise from the turnpike and the lovely Train whistle. When you get tired of listening to that you can get in your golf cart and drive 25 miles to the nearest “anything”. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

Do you live down there or are you just parroting?

[G.R.I.T.S.]

Originally Posted by LMBNY

Hi there. First post! I've been lurking here for awhile, visited TV a few times, and am ready to actively start looking to buy.

I'm overwhelmed by the size of TV and would like to narrow down my search to specific villages that have excellent walking potential. I'm a walker. Love to wake up and walk --- 3-5 miles most days. I'd love to hear of some specific villages that would be good for me to focus on that are close to some of the walking loops, town centers, or just have a nice walkability factor - outside of the beautiful neighborhoods.

Much appreciated!

Personally, I think just about any village is walkable. I'd stick to villages streets; cart paths can be a bit busy with golfers late for tee times & tunnels are not safe for walkers IMO. You can always hop on a cart to just about anywhere nearby for a walk. Enjoy!

[Diver Man]

Originally Posted by michtofla

Just stay away from anything south of 44. After your walk you will hear the dynamite blasting at the nearby stone quarry, the loud speaker announcements at the Coleman Prison, the deafening noise from the turnpike and the lovely Train whistle. When you get tired of listening to that you can get in your golf cart and drive 25 miles to the nearest “anything”. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

That's complete BS, we just finished a 4 mile walk from Bradford thru ST. Catherine's and it was the most beautiful and quiet walk we have been on. No noise. We went for a 3 mile walk yesterday thru Marsh Bend, it was also beautiful, but did get very loud near the turnpike. All the walking areas in the villages is nice, each area has it's plus and minus. People from the north say its better up there. And people from the south end say its better down here. You really need try each area, and see witch one YOU like the best.

[jmcica@aol.com]

Sooooo negative

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by michtofla

Just stay away from anything south of 44. After your walk you will hear the dynamite blasting at the nearby stone quarry, the loud speaker announcements at the Coleman Prison, the deafening noise from the turnpike and the lovely Train whistle. When you get tired of listening to that you can get in your golf cart and drive 25 miles to the nearest “anything”. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

You will never hear dynamite blasting south of 44, you will feel a 2 second rumble similar to a truck hitting a pothole every 6 weeks or so, I have lived here 3-1/2 years and have never heard a loud speaker announcement, the turnpike is only near the far eastern villages and cannot be heard in the most populous of all villages, The Village of Fenney. The closest train track is west of 301 so I have no idea where you came up with a train whistle. As far as warnings, there are over 3,600 residents in The Village of Fenney, more than any other village, ask any one of them if they are unhappy down here, there will be very few. They sell 6 or 7 new homes down here every day, 365 days a year and this is where you will find all of the new amenities, lots of nature and peace and quiet not available north of 44. I have nothing bad to say about north of 44 villages but have a lot of good to say about the south. Only people like (mitchtofla) that cannot live hear continue to criticize the southern villages.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Pretty much all of the Villages are fine for walking as long as you don't venture out onto the main roads or golf cart paths.

On the historic side, where I live, there really are no main roads but I see people walking along, Morse, Avenida Central, Del Mar, Rio Grande and other main roads and I just think that eventually someone is going to get killed.

Down south there are main roads like Stillwater Trail, O'Dell Circle, Canal St, Bonita, Pinellas Place and Hillsborough that you want avoid.

Stay in the neighborhoods and you'll be fine.

If you're looking for scenery and atmosphere take a golf cart ride to one of the many parks and walk there.

Just stay off of the main roads.